Train-operated time-signal system for railways.



PATBNTED SEPT.;19,1905.

w. B. SEVERANOB. TRAIN OPERATED TIME SIGNALSYSTEM FOR RAILWAYS.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

APPLICATION TILED MAY 29,1905.

H M F 4 LN.

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0 Li? M \m k N 17B S ewe/1020a PATENTED SEPT. 19, 1905.

W. SEVBRANOE.

TRAIN OPERATED TIME SIGNAL SYSTEM FOR RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 29,1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

TRAIN-OPERATED TIME-SIGNAL SYSTEM FOR RAILWAYS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 19, 1905.

Application filed May 29, 1905. Serial No- 262,891.

To (ZZZ whom it may concern-.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM B. SEvnRANcE, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Manchester, in the county of Hillsboro and State ofNew Hampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inTrain-Operated Time-Signal Systems for Railways; and I do declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

This invention relates to train-operated time-signal systems forrailways.

The object of the invention is to improve the construction andarrangement of the apparatus shown and described in United StatesLetters Patent No. 763,515, granted to me June 28, 1904, whereby anyform of electricsignal indicator maybe used and which will be eifectivefor trains moving in either direction.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists ofcertain novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement ofparts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan viewillustrating the arrangement and operation of the improved system whenthe train is moving in one direction, and Fig. 2 is a similar Viewshowing certain of the parts in the position they would occupy when thetrain is moving in the opposite direction.

In the improved system as herein shown and described I provide fiveshort track-circuits to take the place of the train-operated devices 1,2, 3, 4, and 5 in the patent hereinbefore referred to. Theelectromagnets 3,4,

5, and 6 are arranged to accomplish the same result as theelectromagnets 6 cl (0 Z) described in the patent. The stop-clock ortime mechanism is also operated in the same way that is, by threeelectric circuits, which operate a lever pressing upon the stem of theclock three successive times, once to stop the clock, once to turn thehands back, and once to start the clock. The electromagnets 1 and 2 whenenergized merely break the circuit from the wires D and F, respectively.

By reference to the drawings it will be seen that when atrain passesonto the rails 7 and 12 an electric circuit will be completed throughthe wheels of the car from the rail 7 to the rail 12, through the wireD, brush-contact e, armature A, electromagnets 3 and 6, and battery B,thence back through wire I to the starting-place at rail 7. When theelectromagnet 3 is thus energized, it attracts armature B intoengagement with the brush-contact 01, thus completing a shunt-circuitacross the contact a b at the clock. If the time limit should not be up,the circuit would not be closed by the hands of the clock by thecontact-points a b, and therefore the signal would already be at danger,being left so by the previous train, and no shunt-circuit through thesignal could be obtained by the armature B coming in engagement with thebrush-contact When the current passes through the electromagnet 6, itcauses the armature W to be attracted, which will press the stem of theclock for the first time, thereby stopping the clock. When the trainpasses onto the rails 8 and 13, an electric circuit will be completedthrough the wheels of the train and through the ,wire E, magnet 1,battery A, through wire H, thence to the starting-point at wire 8. Whenthe electromagnet 1 is energized, it attracts armature A, disengagingthe same from the brush-contact 6, thus breaking the circuit from thetrack-rails 7 and 12. When the train passes onto the rails 9 and 14, anelectric circuit will be completed through the Wheels of the train andthrough the wire F, brush-contact across the armature K, throughelectromagn ets 4 and 6 and battery B, back to rail 9 through wire I.When the current passes through the electromagnet 4, the armature-detentH will be attracted thereby and disengaged from armature E, which willrelease said armature E, thus allowing the same to engage a contactpoint0. When the current passes through the electromagnet 6, the armature Wwill be attracted, which will cause the lever O to press upon the stemof the clock for the second time to turn the hands of the same back.When the train passes onto the rails 10 and 15, it completes the circuitthrough wire Gr, electromagnet 2, battery A, and thence the wire H backto the rail 10. When the current energizes the electromagnet 2, itcauses the same to attract the armature K, thus disengaging the samefrom the brush-contact f, thereby breaking the circuit of the rails 9and 14. When the train passes onto the rails 11 and 16, acircuit will becompleted thereby through the wire D across armature A and through theelectromagnets 3 and 6, which will energize the.

magnet 6, causing the same to attract the armature to actuate the leverO to press the stem of the clock for the third time to start thesame.There is no special object for-sending the current through theelectromagnet 3 when the train is moving in this direction, said magnetat this time serving merely as a conductor. When the hands of the clock,having been thus started, arrive at the time limit, they make a contactbetween the points a and b and complete a circuit through the battery C,conductorwire M to signal S, through parallel line M, through wire N andelectromagnet .5 to a. With the exception of the electromagnets a 6 anda as shown in previous patent, it will be noticed that this lattercircuit is identical to the one described in the patent referred to.Therefore a description of this circuit need not be repeated here, as itaccomplishes the same result namely, the setting of the signal back tosafety at the end of the time limit.

hen the train is moving in the opposite directionthat is, from the 11 16end of the tracks toward the 7 12 endit first completes a circuit lastdescribed, which will accomplish the same result as described inconnection with the first circuit. When the train passes onto the rails10 and 15, it completes that circuit, with the result already described,holding the contact-from the armature Kthrough the contact f broken, asshown in Fig. 2, until the last wheels have passed off from this block.The armature K will then come in contact, as shown in Fig. 1 of thedrawings, and as the train is on the rails 9 and 14 that circuit will bemade, with the result as already described. lVhen a train first reachesthe rails S and 13, it completes the circuit through the wire E, withthe result already described, and holds the circuit from the rails 7 and12 broken at the contact 6, as shown in Fig. 2, until the last wheelsleave that block, at which time the contact between the armature- A andthe contact-point a will again be made by the spring on said armature.Thus the circuit from the rails 7 and 12 will be completed, as before,with the result described in connection with the circuit from the rails11 and 16 when the train is'moving in the opposite direction. It will beunderstood that each of the short sections of rail is suitably insulatedfrom the adjacent sections.

By means of my system when a train passes.

over the rails the signal S is set to danger, where it will remain aslong as the train stands on the system. hen the train passes off thesystem, the signal is left set at danger for a predetermined timelimitsay, five minutes, or until the hand arrives at a b, when thesignal will be set at safety. Should a train arrive at the system beforethe hand arrives at ab, then the signal will be set at danger, and thetrain will wait before passing the signal until the arm drops to letsaid train pass. Thus it will be seen that a time limit must elapsebetween trains, and this time limit may .be varied by moving thecontacts a Z).

If desired, 1 may place four of the trackcircuits on one side of thestation and one on the other side, using two signals instead of one, oneof said signals being arranged on each side of the station. By thisarrangement the signals are operated thus: "hen a train comes into astation, it will set the signal back of it and one in front of it todanger and maintain them in that position until the time limit after thetrain leaves that station. This arrangement will give thetrainprotection while in the station, as well as for the limit of timeafter it leaves. This arrangement of the parts will be readilyunderstood by those skilled in the art, and an illustration of the samein the drawings is not deemed necessary.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the inventionWill be readily understood without requiring a more extendedexplanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details ofconstruction may be resorted-to without departing from the principle orsacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a signal system of the character described, the combination withan electricallyoperated signaling device, normally open electriccircuits, an electrically-controlled time mechanism included in certainof said circuits, and means whereby said circuits are successivelyclosed through the wheels of a train passing across the same,substantially as described.

2. In a signal system of the character described, the combination withan electricallyoperated signaling device, normally open electriccircuits, a short section of track-rail arranged in each of saidcircuits, one rail of said section being connected with each end of thecircuit in which the same is arranged, said sections of rails beinginsulated apart whereby when a train passes over said track saidcircuits will be successively closed through the wheels of the train, anelectrically-controlled time mechanism included in certain of saidcircuits, and means whereby said circuits are successively closedthrough the wheels-of a.

train passing across the same, substantially as described.

3. In a signal system of the character described, the combination withan electricallyoperated signaling device, normally open electriccircuits, a short section of track-rail arranged in each of saidcircuits, one rail of by said hand at the expiration of the time saidsection being connected with each end of limit thus operating saidsignal, substantially the circuit in which the same is arranged, said asdescribed. sections of rails being insulated apart,whereby In testimonywhereof I have hereunto set I5 5 when a train passes over said tracksaid cirmy hand in presence of two subscribing witcuitslwill besuccessively closled through thle messes whee s of the train, a norma yopen signa controlling circuit, a time mechanism, and WILLIAM Bcontact-points arranged in said circuit in the Witnesses: I path ofmovement of the hand of said time OHAs. E. CocHRAN,

mechanism, whereby said circuitwill be closed R. Q. M. CARVER.

